Chinese radicals in spaced repetition systems : a pilot study on the acquisition of Chinese characters by students learning Chinese as a foreign language

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis explores the effect on learning Chinese characters for learners of Chinese asforeign language through implementing the unique properties of the Chinese script in aprototype spaced repetition system. Both Chinese radicals and the spacing effect have thepotential to positively influence the recall ability of students in learning Chinesecharacters, however the interaction between the spacing effect and Chinese radicals inspaced repetition system, such as Anki and Mnemosyne, had not been tested. Anexperimental spaced repetition system prototype was designed and developed toinvestigate these interactions. Two groups of students learning Chinese as a foreignlanguage at the University of Stellenbosch studied the same list of Chinese characters inwhich there were both massed and spaced characters present. One group had additionalinformation on Chinese radicals on the flashcard. The students were given an immediatepost-test to test their recall of the meaning and pronunciation of the Chinese characters.The results showed a positive trend for the spacing effect in which students had higherscores for spaced characters, but the recall ability between the two groups of students didnot change regardless of whether there was information on Chinese radicals or not. Theresults were surprising considering the potential positive impact of Chinese radicals onrecall. The thesis concludes that the presentation of information on Chinese radicals in aspaced repetition system does not necessarily improve the recall ability of the students.The impact of explicit instruction on the role of Chinese radicals in Chinese characters andthe ability of the student to apply this knowledge should be considered for futureresearch.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University